Operating and counterbalancing mechanism for oscillating tumblers of fish-canning machines



O. C. W. MARKS Sept. 9, 1930.

OPERATING AND COUNTERBALANCING MECHANISM FOR OSCILLATING TUMBLERS OF FISH CANNING MACHINES Filed April 12, 1927 atorn e l Patented Sept. 9, 1930 PATENT; 7 OFFICE l OTTO G. W. MARKS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA ornRArInG annconnrnnnnnnncme MECHANISM FOR osoIL LA'rI Ne 'IUMBLERSFOF FISH-CANNING MACHINES Application filed April 12,

v In can filler machines particularly the type employed in the salmon packing industry where the salmonis cut and forced under provision is made for a yielding movement between the drive cam of the apparatus and the oscillatingtumbler with which cooperates the fish fork for pressing the fish into the can. This mechanism as at present con- 10 structed has many defects, the principal being that there'is no provislon for the absorption of the'shock occasioned by the return of certain of the parts {under heavy spring pressure." This shock causes a'deterioration and frequent breakage of the parts associated with the tumbler, itsoperating link, the crank leverassooiated with the linkand the oscillating tumbler cam groove. I The shock also places undue strain on the power means at times where the load thereon is very light and the sudden increaseof resistance, occaf sioned bytheshock, is extremely detrimental andinjurious to the power means for the.

vapparatus. I

'My present invention relates to improve 7 ments in shock absorber spring barrels form-' H ingthe intermediate connection between the operating cam and its associated oscillating tumbler in machines of'the above described type, and more parjticularlytoy that type of machine now in universal use. f .The principal object of the invention is to providean improved form of connection betweenthe power means and the oscillating f tumbler whereby the yielding spring movementbetwee'n the power. means and the oscillating tumbler is provided. To provide a structure wherein a yielding counterbal- 'ance for controlling sudden movements of 40' the oscillating tumbler in either direction is provided, and one wherein the counterbalancing efiect on the oscillating tumbler can be adjusted or varied; V e

With the abovementioned and other objects in view, the invention consists" in the 1927. Serial No. 183,187.

size and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacri- 5 pressure into the can by mechanical means,

ficing any of the advantages of the invention.

To more fully comprehend the invention, reference is directed to the accompanying drawings, wherein" I Fig. 1 is a view in detail side elevation of that portion of a can filler to which my invention relates and illustrating the main drive shaft, the cam drive connection between the shaft and oscillating tumbler and the yieldable connecting link between thecam operated lever oscillating tumbler; there also being illustrated in side elevation, an oscillating tumbler counterbalancing means, and

in full and dotted lines the fish pressing fork.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal detail sectional view of the upper end of the connection between the oscillating tumbler and the cam operated lever.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 2. l

Fig. 4: is a transverse Vertical sectionalview on line H of Fig. 1, viewed in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal detail sectional view of one of the counterbalancing means for the oscillating tumbler. In illustrating my' present inventiona'nd setting forth the same inthepresentapplication, the drawings and specifications have not been encumbered with illustrationsor description of parts of the apparatus other than that to which the invention relates.

- In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numerals 1 indicate the frame members of a can filler apparatus or a machine for a like purpose.

ventional drive apparatus of a well known type of can filler apparatus.

Fulcrumed at 8 to oscillate on a horizontal formed in its periphery with an'aperture 10. through which reciprocates the fish engaging fork 11,to which is imparted horizontal movement by a lever 12 to which the end of the forkis connected.

As illlustrated in the drawings, the fork is retracted in the opening 10when-tho tumbler; 9 is oscillated to its uppermost position, and

is projected throughthe opening 10 as tumr- 'bler 9 oscillates downwardly. In. this move-j ment the fork engages thefi-shto be packed, and through the action of the tumbler 9 urebox'9fi l, V I Occasions arise where the resistance ofiere'd 1 presses the same downwardly intothemeasmeasure box being filled or due to the filling the fork and. injure the apparatus.

tightly packedin'the measure box, and which will permit the continuance of operation of the parts ofjthe machine, without interrupt- I ing the rotation of the cam sliaft,'is' constructed as followszfff Pivotally connectedto the free end of the crank lever6, is a" r0d'13, which has linear telescoping movement within a sleeve14 sur roundingthe'same, the sleeve carrying at one 7 end a tip 15, adjustably threaded thereonto,

said tip being fulcrumed at'16 to the sidewall of the oscillating tumbler 9, as in Figs.

.and 4. At 7 one end, the sleeve has adjustably threaded thereon a collar 17 which'for1ms an abutment forone end of; a spring 18, coiled 'about'the sleeve 14. The opposite end of the] spring 18 bears again-st a collar 19, slidable on the upper end of the sleeve'14', the collar bearing against and overlying the collar stop Q5 'key's 20, receivable in slots 21 in the end" of sleeve 14. The collar stop keys 20 also bear Jagainst' the head22of the rod'13', confining the spring18'betweencollars 1 7 and 19, so

fered against the downward movement of the that its tendency'will be to-cause' an inward telescoping movement of the rod 13 andsleeve e It will thus be observed that with shaft 2- rotating and the ordinary resistance being set up byithe pressure of the fork 10 against the fiSli in pressing the same into the can, that there will be little or no relative telescoping movement between the rod 13 and sleeve14; Should an undue resistance be offork' 11, greater than that capable of being offset by the spring 18, shaft 2 will continue where the roller arrives at the end of its path,

of the measure. box improperly, and such resistance if not compensatedjfor wouldbend inthe relative low portion of the cam groove,

4, the tension of spring 18' is released, with-' the machine "The release of 'the' ten-sion on 't-hespring 18 also creates a sudden jerk or application of power proportionate to the strength of the spring and its compression to the shaft 2, d ue to the roller 4 LI TiViI1g "at one end of the low portion of the cam groove.

out the liability of the collar 19 contacting V This strain is often injurious to the apparatus. 5 7

The improvement I claim and desire to; protect is the provision. of meansfor compens a'tin'g [for this strain and" absorbing the 7 shock, which means'co'n'sists of a percussion V k by the fish is considerable, either due to the cu1 i23'slidable in a recess 24in the tip '15 in alignment'with the head 2251 the rod 13 and against which the head abuts; 7 spring .25 to counteractjthe tension of spring 18 w is ositioned in the recess 24 and forces" the The operating connection to compensate: for the resistance set up bythe fish, when too cup 23' toward the rod'head 22.

the latter compensating for or abso n suddenmovement'of' the r'od'head 22 ftow'ard ng any shock which ma 'ee' de1iverea to the tumbler9l,

9 in either direction from ,itsnormaljposit'i'on, 1s a second ob ect of my invention and To resist the free oscillation of'the tumbler 1 in accomplishing it I providetwo resisting members, connected with the tumbler side wall above and below its fulcrum 8, by adjustable connecting rods 30 having right and left take-up oouplings 30 within their length.

Each "of said resisting members comprises a guide casing or cylinder 26, havingaj slotted sidewall27, and" ineach of which cylinders" is longitudinally reciprocable a piston 28, each provided with a'crank pin 29 to "which is fulcrumed one end of the connectingrod30, the other endof which is fulcrumed' at 31 to one side wall of the 'turnble fl9." j v i It will beobs'eived' that the fulcrum points 31' for the respective' 'connect-ing rods 30 are positioned one on either side of the tumbler axis 8, and it'is'to be understood that when the tumbler 9 is in its normal orneutral posi--- tion', the tension on springs32 isuniform.

Cooperating with each of the pistons 28 is a coiled spring 32, the springs being anchored to their respective pistons at one end at 33,

and at their opposite end'to an adjustable arm 34, carried on a bracket 35. s g

It will be observed that each of thesprings 32 are expansionsprings'and that the oscil- V lation of the tumbler 9 in either direction from its normal or neutral position will cause an elongation orlstretchingof one of the to rotate and relative movement will take tains a uniform balance for the tumbler during its oscillating'movement' I claim:

1. An overload relief for the tumbler of a packing apparatus including a power shaft, comprising a rod connecting the power shaft and tumbler for imparting oscillation to the tumbler on the rotation of the shaft, a sleeve telecoping the rod, said rod and sleeve capable of relative linear movement and their outer ends operatively connected with the power shaft and tumbler, a spring acting to inwardly telescope the rod and sleeve, a second spring opposing the inward telescoping movement'of the first spring, tension means acting on opposite sides of the tumbler axis for counterbalancing its oscillation in either direction, and means for independently varying the tension of said means acting on the opposite sides of said tumbler.

2. In overload relief for the tumbler of a packing apparatus, including a power shaft, comprising a rod connecting the power shaft and tumbler for imparting oscillation to the tumbler on the rotation of the shaft, a sleeve telescoping the rod, said rod and sleeve capable of relative linear movement and their outer ends operatively connected with the power shaft and tumbler, a spring acting to inwardly telescope the rod and sleeve, a second spring opposing the inward telescoping movement of the first spring, yieldable tension means acting on opposite sides of the tumbler axis for counterbalancing its oscillation in either direction, and means for independently varying the tension of said means acting on the opposite sides of said tumbler.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

OTTO G. W. MARKS. 

